Process of generating gas



(No Model.)

T. L. WILLSON. PROCESS OF GENERATING GAS.

No. 552,027 4 Patentd Dec. 24, 1895.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @EETQE.

THOMAS L. \VILLSON, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE ELECTRO GASCOMPANY, OF WEST VIRGINIA.

PROCESS OF GENERATING GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,027, dated December24, 1895. Application fil d August 9, 1894:. Serial No. 519,798. (Nospecimens.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS L. WILLsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Generating Gas, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the generation of illuminating or othercombustible gas from chemical substances in the form of a solid whichevolve gas when treated with water or other liquid, and also to thecombination of gas thus evolved with atmospheric air.

My invention is most particularly designed for use in the making ofilluminating-gas by treating calcium carbide or other metallic carbideswith water.

In my application for patent for the manufacture of hydrocarbon gasfiled February 28, 1894, Serial No. 501,763, I have described andclaimed the production of an illuminating-gas by treating carbide ofcalciumwith water and mixing the resulting gas with varying proportionsof air. According to the process there specifically described thecalcium carbide in lumps or powder was dropped into water.

According to my present invention I provide means for more convenientlyand effectively generating the gas by reversing this process-that is tosay, by placing the carbide in a chamber and after closing the chamberintroducing water thereinto in contact with the carbide. The chamber inwhich the car bide is placed contains a greater or less quantity of air,and as the gas is evolved a mixture of gas and air results. According tothe preferred mode of carrying out my invention, I employ a receiver orgasreservoir for holding gas under pressure, the gas being compressedinto this receiver by fiowin g over into it from a generating-chamber inwhich the reaction is effected. The required proportion of air is firstintroduced into thereceiver, and a cor respondinglyproportionate amountof carbide having been placed in the generatingchamber the latter isclosed and water introduced therein, so that the gas generated thereinpasses over through a communicating pipe into the receiver andestablishes a pressure therein, at the same time comminglingwith the airalready introduced thereto.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a sectional elevation showing agas-producing apparatus constructed according to the preferred form ofmy invention. Fig. 1 is a fragment of Fig. 1.

Referring first to Fig. 1, let A designate the receiver orstorage-cylinder, capable of withstanding any suitable or requiredpressure. Let B designate the generatingchamber. O is an air-pump. D isa reducing-valve.

The receiver A is fitted with a valve a and coupling b, to which arecoupled pipes 0 leading to the pump 0, (Z leading to the generator B,and 6 leading to the reducing-valve D. From the latter a pipe f leads toany point where the gas is to be used, a series of jets or burners beingshown. From the generator 13 the generated gas may flow through the pipe(1 into the receiver A. This is closed and non-expansible. In this pipeis introduced a valve g, preferably a self-closing check-valve, asshown, the purpose of which is to prevent backflow of gas from A intoI). From the pump 0 air may be forced into the receiver through the pipe0. A valve his introduced in this pipe to enable it to be shut off incase the pump is to be disconnected, which may be done by unscrewing thecoupling 2'. From the receiver A the gas may pass out through the valve(0 and pipe 6 to the pressure-regulator D, the fiow being if desiredcontrolled or restricted by adjusting a valvej. If neces sary todisconnect the pipe 6, this can be done by uncoupling the pipe 1. Fromthe pressure regulatorD the gas fiows under reduced pressure through thepipe f to the place of use, the flow being regulated if desired byadjusting a valve is in this pipe.

The gas-generator B in the construction shown in Fig. 1 consists of ahorizontal cham her or cylinder into which the carbide or other chemicalmay be introduced at one end-preferably by placing it in a pan or dishE, which may be an ordinary tin pan-the required quantity of the carbidebeing weighed or measured out and placed in this pan and then slid intothe chamber. To enable this to be done one end of the chamber isconstructed to open, being formed with a removable cap B.

a hopper G is provided, the communicating passage being closed by athrce-way cock o.

The operation may now be understood.

Any desired quantity or proportion of air is first introduced into thereceiver A, if necessary, by pumping it in by the pump 0, the valves hand a being open, and the valve j preferably closed. The quantityintroduced may be determined by means of a pressuregage a. The valve itshould then be closed. The gas is then generated in'the followingmanner: The cap B of the generating-chamber B is taken off, and the panor tray E is charged with the proper quantity of carbide of calcium andthen slid back into the chamber B, whereupon the latter is closed byfastening on the cap B. The valve to being closed and the cock '0 beingopen-that is, turned to the position shown in Fig. l water is pouredinto the hopper Gr to fill the chamber F. The cock 4; is then turned asshown in Fig. 1, and the cock u is opened to permit the water inclosedwithin the chamber F to descend and trickle from the pipe t in smalljets upon the carbide in the tray E. As the gas is evolved from thecarbide it generates a pressure within the chamber B, and as thispressure exceeds that in the receiver A the gas will flow out throughthe pipe d, lifting the valve g and entering the receiverA. In

. order to enable the disengagement of the gas to be effective andprevent the carrying up of any particles of carbide with the gas so asto choke the valve g, it is preferable to construct the chamber B withan upward extension or dome B, from which the pipe d leads. As thepressure is generated in the chamber B and as soon as it exceeds thehydrostatic pressure by which the liquid enters this chamber through theopenings in the pipe 75, the flow of water would be stopped were notsome means provided for admitting an equal pressure on top of the bodyof water in the chamber F. For this purpose I have provided a small tube10 communicating between the top of the dome B and the cock 1), thistube being shut off when the cock is in the position shown in Fig. 1',but in open communication with the top of the chamber F when the cock isclosed, as shown in Fig. 1. Accordingly as the pressure is generatedwithin the cham ber B the gas can pass through this tube w into theupper part of the chamber F, thereby communicating an equal pressure tothe top of the column of water, so that the flow of water is notinterrupted. The generation of gas will continue until all the carbideand water have been mutually decomposed, no further attention beingnecessary until the recharging of the apparatus with gas is againrequired. The only residue left is a quantity of lime resulting from theoxidation of the calcium carbide by the decomposition of the water, andthis residue is easily removed at the next charging of the apparatus bytaking off the cap B and sliding out the tray E, in which practicallyall of the lime will be found contained. To insure the completeconversion of all the carbide, it is preferable to use a slight excessof water.

The proportions shown in Fig. 1 are adapted to give good results for usein making gas under considerable pressure from carbide of calcium andwater mixed with air in the proportion of one volume of air to twovolumes of the gas resulting from the action. of the carbide with water.The required proportions of carbide and water necessary to effect acomplete reaction are approximately sixty-four parts by weight ofcalcium carbide to thirtysix parts by weight of water.

My improved gas apparatus is well adapted for the lighting ofrailway-cars, steamboats, steam ships and sailing-vessels, buoys andprivate residences-4n short, all locations where what is called anisolated gas-plant can be feasibly applied. By a more extendedapplication of my invention, it may be useful in connection withexisting city gas-works, either for replacing existing gas processes orfor generating gas of high illuminating value for enriching orcarbureting water-gas or other gas of no or low illuminating power.

The air-pump 0 need not be a permanent part of the apparatus. Any pumpor aircompressor may serve for a great number of gas apparatus, beingunited thereto by the coupling 6 whenever it is desired to pump in air.

I claim as my invention the f0llowing-de fined novel featuresorimprovements, substantially as hereinbefore specified, namely:

1. The process of generating an illuminating gas in an apparatus havinga closed nonexpansible receiver and a generating chamber communicatingtherewith, which consists in filling said receiver with air, placing ametallic carbide in said generating chamber, closing the latter, andsubsequently introducing water thereinto, to react with said carbide andgenerate gas under pressure which gas passes over into said receiver andcommingles with the air therein.

2. The process of generating illuminating gas in an apparatus having aclosed non-expansible receiver-and a generating chamber communicatingtherewith, which. consists in forcing air under pressure into said;receiver, placing. a metallic carbide in said generating chamber,closing the latter, and subsequently introducing Water thereinto toreact with said carbide and generate gas under pressure in excess of thepressure of air in said receiver, whereby the gas passes over into saidreceiver and commingles with the air therein, and the resulting gas iscompressed to higher pressure than that at which the compressed air Wasintroduced.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses.

THOMAS L. WILLSON. Witnesses:

GEORGE H. FRASER, ARTHUR 0. FRASER.

